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Heart FM's Sobriety Test - 2013

Woodstock Police set up a RIDE program this afternoon to officially kick off their RIDE schedule for the holiday season.

Police launched in the afternoon this year on Lansdowne Ave. to send the message to drivers that RIDE checks can happen at any time of day.

Deputy Police Chief Darryl Longworth says it's a matter of community safety. "We wanted to get people's attention, let them know we're going to be out on the streets, daytime, afternoon and the evening, when they least expect us. It's important to the safety of the people who live and work in this community."

Longworth says staggering the times of RIDE programs isn't just about getting drivers' attention, it's also a time when they're catching drinking drivers in the act. "Earlier this year, we caught a person at 9 o'clock in the morning. There's no one time of day. People expect us out in the evenings, but we catch people in the morning and afternoon as well."

But on this day, drivers were well behaved. Police checked over 270 vehicles with no drivers who had been drinking.

Longworth says they have a large number of scheduled RIDE programs, but he adds if calls are light, officers may get together and setup an impromptu RIDE program at any time of day.

Police's main message to drivers is: plan ahead when going to a Christmas Party or other event where you are going to be drinking. Arrange to have a ride or take a cab, rather than risk the consequences of drinking and driving.